1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to swimming pool cleaning apparatus, and, more particularly, to a floating head for swimming pool cleaning apparatus which is designed primarily for above-the-ground swimming pools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,170,180 discloses a floating head for a swimming pool cleaning system. The head includes provisions for discharging water to make the head move in the swimming pool. A conduit is secured to the head, and a plurality of whips are secured to the conduit. The whips move through the water, stirring up sediment to be removed by a recirculating filter system. The head comprises a floating ring designed to float on the top surface of the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,079 discloses a swimming pool head that floats on the surface of the water. The floating head includes paddle wheel-like arms which extend outwardly from the head. The head is designed to move about the inner periphery and the sides of the pool in a regular pattern or fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,942 discloses another type of floating head for a swimming pool cleaning system with whips extending outwardly from the head. The head includes a swivel attachment and a jet or impeller for moving the head in the water, in addition to the whips. One embodiment of the apparatus also uses a rudder attached to the impeller for steering the apparatus in a random fashion in a swimming pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,148 discloses another type of floating head with a plurality of whips attached to the head. The head includes inflexible conduits for insuring that the head moves in a regular pattern around the periphery of the swimming pool. At the same time, a flexible conduit attached to the head carries the whips. The apparatus is designed to move around the periphery of the swimming pool in a regular pattern, as opposed to the random pattern of the apparatus of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,276 discloses a floating head that has a plurality of whips attached to the head and are depending downwardly from the head. The apparatus also includes chlorinating material which is dispensed from the head as the head moves in the water. The head moves in a random manner, propelled by the water reaction of jets secured directly to the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,864 discloses a floating head which moves in a random fashion on the top surface of water in a swimming pool. A hose connected to the head extends to a bag which collects debris. The bag is either floatable or sinkable, for cleaning either the surface of the water or the bottom of the swimming pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,101 discloses a floatable swimming pool cleaning head which includes a water jet nozzle for moving the head on the surface of the water. The head is designed to be in rolling contact with the sides of the pool. Whips are also carried by the head. The head includes an indoor platform member and an outer float or wheel member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,192 discloses a floating head which is propelled in a swimming pool by a jet drive. The jet drive for the head is associated with a water supply hose connected to the head. A plurality of jets connected to the supply hose both propels the head and performs the cleaning action in the water. The head moves in a random fashion on the surface of the water.
All of the above-described patents include cleaning heads which are designed to float generally on the top surface of water in a swimming pool. The swimming pools are all illustratively shown as being in-ground pools. The heads are all circular, and are designed primarily to be floats which operate in one of two ways. They either move in a random fashion in a swimming pool or else they move against the sides of the swimming pool and about the periphery of the swimming pool, dragging or carrying whips or other water jet means for stirring up the sediment in the swimming pool water for cleaning purposes.
None of the heads, and associated cleaning systems, are designed for above-ground swimming pools. Above-ground swimming pools have certain characteristics which are not conducive to standard cleaning techniques. In the first place, above-ground swimming pools generally include a vinyl liner supported on a framework. The use of the vinyl requires that stairs or steps for getting into and out of the water be suspended outwardly, away from the vinyl sides. The reason for maintaining the steps apart from the sides is the need to maintain the "hardware" spaced apart from the vinyl to insure that direct contact between "hardware" and the vinyl is minimized to prevent tearing, etc. of the vinyl.
A swimming pool cleaning head that tracks the sides of the pool, that is, around the periphery of the pool, and thus maintains rolling contact with the sides, is detrimental to the vinyl due to the relatively continuous contact. The relatively continuous contact increases the possibility of tears, etc., in the vinyl.
In addition, a swimming pool head that moves in a random fashion in a below-ground pool could get caught in the space between the vinyl liner sides and the steps in an above-the-ground swimming pool due to the relatively large spacing or distance between the steps and the sides. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a swimming pool head having a relatively large diameter for above-the-ground swimming pools. The diameter for an above-the-ground swimming pool cleaning head should generally be much greater than that required for a below or in-the-ground swimming pool.
In addition to the above differences and requirements between in-ground and above-the-ground swimming pools, it is obvious that with a vinyl liner, a cleaning head or cleaning apparatus, including water supply hoses designed to move on the bottom of a swimming pool, is not practical for an above-the-ground swimming pool. This is again due to the possibility of tearing the vinyl.
The apparatus discussed above are all designed for below-ground swimming pools and are all designed to float on the surface of the water. The apparatus of the present invention is designed to float low in the water, with a substantial portion of the apparatus below the surface of the water for convenience in moving in a random fashion without interference with a supply hose which of necessity must also float on the surface of the water.